In recent years, sanitary washing apparatus combined with Western style toilet bowls have become widespread. One type of these sanitary washing apparatus employs a single washing nozzle which is used both as a device for washing the anus and as a bidet. However, this type of apparatus are surpassed in function by sanitary washing apparatus which are provided both with a nozzle that is exclusively used for washing the anus and with a bidet nozzle, since the lather apparatus makes it possible to obtain the proper positions and angles for jetting out washing water. Such sanitary washing apparatus having both types of nozzle are disadvantageous however in that the water passage for passing warm water is incoveniently long.
FIGS. 1 and 2 in combination show a conventional sanitary washing apparatus, which is composed of a toilet bowl 1, a toilet seat 2, an anus washing nozzle 3 and a bidet nozzle 4 which are disposed on the toilet seat 2, and a washing apparatus body 5 which is installed on the floor and accommodates therein a hot-water tank, a pressurizing pump, a controller, etc. The anus washing nozzle 3 and the bidet nozzle 4 are supplied with the hot water in the hot-water tank through connecting hoses 3', 4' which respectively provide communication between the washing apparatus body 5 and the nozzles 3, 4. Further, the washing apparatus body 5 is provided with a hot-water temperature adjusting knob 6, a hot-water quantity adjusting knob 7 and a function changeover knob 8.
FIGS. 3, 4 in combination show another conventional sanitary washing apparatus, which includes a toilet bowl 9 provided with an anus washing nozzle 10 and a bidet nozzle 11 which are supplied with hot water through respective connecting hoses 10', 11' from a washing apparatus body 13 which is installed on the floor and accommodates therein a hot-water tank, a pressurizing pump, a controller, etc. In addition, this sanitary washing apparatus is provided with a toilet seat 12, a power switch 14, a hot-water temperature adjusting knob 15, a hot-water quantity adjusting knob 16 and a function changeover knob 17, similarly to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2.
Both the above-described conventional sanitary washing apparatus have inconveniently long water passages, respectively extending from the hot-water tanks accommodated in the washing apparatus bodies 5, 13 to the anus washing nozzles 3, 10 and the bidet nozzles 4, 11; therefore, the hot water discharged from the hot-water tanks by a washing operation takes a long time to reach the end of each nozzle. More specifically, since the washing water remaining in the connecting hoses 3', 4'; 10', 11' during the suspension of operation has cooled down to become warm water of relatively low temperature, this rather cold water must be jetted out and removed before the hot water is discharged from each of the nozzles 3, 4; 10, 11. It is extremely unpleasant for a person to be sprayed with a jet of cold water, even for a short time, prior to jetting out of hot water by a washing operation, particularly when the room temperature is low in the winter.
According to the arrangement of each of the above-described sanitary washing apparatus, the user sits on the toilet seat 2, 12 and after bowel movement actuates the function changeover knob 8, 17 to wash the anal part with the anus washing nozzle 3, 10. In the case of a woman in her menstrual period, she washes the female genital parts with the bidet nozzle 4, 11. Particularly in the case of a woman, it is common practice to wash the genital parts with the bidet nozzle after washing the anus even in the case of defecation and to wash the anus after washing the genitalia when she is in her menstrual period. In other words, it is frequent practice for women to use both nozzles, one after the other.
The conventional sanitary washing apparatus, however, are extremely disadvantageous in use when the anus is washed and the genitalia are subsequently washed, since the bidet nozzle 4, 11 has cooled down to such an extent that the water therein reaches a very low temperature, which results in the fact that, after the anus has been washed with hot water of a comfortable temperature (about 40.degree. C.), the hot water is suddenly changed over to the cold water for washing the genital parts. In a toilet where the room temperature is below 5.degree. C. in the winter, the cold water becomes so low in temperature that the user almost jumps with the chill of the cold water. The female parts to be washed are especially sensitive; therefore, the sensation caused by such cold water makes women feel very uncomfortable. Although the bidet nozzle 4, 11 has a function which is extremely appreciated by women, it cannot be practically used unless the above-described disadvantage is overcome. The same is the case with washing the anus after the genital parts.
Further, in the conventional sanitary washing apparatus, the connecting hose connected to either the anus washing nozzle or the bidet nozzle is exceedingly long, since the nozzles are disposed on both sides of the toilet bowl 1, 9, and the washing apparatus body 5, 13 accommodating the hot-water tank is disposed on one of the sides of the toilet bowl 1, 9. In the above-described apparatus, the connecting hose 4', 11' connected to the bidet nozzle 4, 11 is undesirably long. Since the connecting hose 4', 11' is so long, the hot water is cooled down even during use, and the water remaining in the connecting hose 4', 11' when the apparatus is in an inoperative state is correspondingly large in quantity, which aggravates the problem that the user is chilled by the cooled water at the beginning of washing. In addition, the temperature of the hot water during use is lower as the room temperature becomes lower. The temperature of the hot water also changes according to the season and differs according to the hours in a day, that is, there is a large difference in temperature between the morning and evening and the daytime, which causes inconvenience to the user. Furthermore, since the connecting hoses 3', 4'; 10', 11' are different in length, there is a difference in time from when the function changeover knob 8, 17 is actuated until the hot water is jetted out from the anus washing nozzle 3, 10 and the bidet nozzle 4, 11. In other words, since the connecting hose 4', 11' connected to the bidet nozzle 4, 11 is longer than those connected to the anus washing nozzle 3, 10, the bidet nozzle 4, 11 involves a longer response time than the anus washing nozzle 3, 10, which is inconvenient when alternately using the anus washing nozzle and the bidet nozzle.
These disadvantages would be overcome by positioning the hot-water tank in the center of the area between both the nozzles in order to allow the lengths of the connecting hoses 3', 4'; 10', 11' to be equalized and reduced. It is, however, difficult from the dimensional point of view to provide the hot-water tank in the center of the area between both the nozzles while permitting the toilet seat 2, 12 to have sufficiently large dimensions and ensuring a hot-water quantity that will satisfy the user. For this reason, the hot-water tank is inevitably placed closer to either of the sides of the toilet bowl 1, 9. Accordingly, the above-described disadvantages are unavoidable in the case where the nozzles are positioned on both sides of the toilet bowl 1, 9.
Further, in the conventional sanitary washing apparatus, the nozzles are provided inside the toilet bowl 1, 9 and therefore are unfavorably exposed to filth and filthy water.